The Lions manager commended his team for their effort in the 2-0 triumph.
After Millwall defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-0, Joe Edwards expressed his relief.
The Lions defeated Sheffield Wednesday in their debut game under new manager Edwards, with to goals from Tom Bradshaw and Murray Wallace at the conclusion of each half.
That was also their first victory at The Den since September 20 and lifts them six points clear of QPR, who occupy the last relegation place.
Edwards believe it was Millwall’s “spirit” that got the job done as he praised Aidomo Emakhu, the defence and cast his eye over other aspects of the game, including allegations of one match official and Matija Sarkic being hit by objects during the game.
The manager of The Lions expressed a sense of definite relief at the end of their winless streak, especially with the added time of 10 minutes, acknowledging the challenges faced during a difficult run. He highlighted the tension in London derbies between two struggling teams, emphasizing the team’s spirit and defensive solidity. Despite QPR’s attempts to play attractive football, Millwall remained resolute, and their goalkeeper hardly had to make any saves.
The manager stressed the importance of fundamental defensive principles before focusing on attacking play, celebrating two consecutive clean sheets and four valuable points. Edwards praised the team’s defensive performance throughout the pitch, commending the physical demands and collective effort in pressing and defensive actions against a QPR side keen on building up from the back.
“We aspire for a higher quality performance, a more football-oriented approach, but given our recent struggles, we must first establish the foundation we aim to build upon.
Emakhu, in only his fourth start for Millwall, earned the in-house Man of the Match award announced over the tannoy system.
Regarding the 20-year-old Irishman, Edwards commented, “I thought he performed admirably today. As a young player, and I’ve mentioned this in recent weeks about Aidomo and Romain, when you’re a team desperate for points and enduring a tough spell, you must carefully choose where to introduce young players.
“I’ve noticed instances in recent games where we lacked that spark and pace in the final third. I saw Aidomo in training and he played in the under-21 game 10 days ago, scoring a hat-trick, which convinced me to give him an opportunity. He truly seized it today and was a genuine threat.”
Allan Campbell was omitted from the squad for the second consecutive match following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Stoke City.
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Edwards explained the decision on the Luton Town loanee, saying, “I have one injured player in the squad, Casper, which is quite unusual in a busy period like this when you usually have more players than can fit in the squad. So I’ve had to make selection decisions, and Allan has been the unfortunate one.
“He’s a great professional, trains well every day. The decision was made based on the teams I’ve been selecting and the options I want on the bench to change, for these two games.”
One of the linesmen and Millwall keeper Sarkic were both reportedly struck with objects thrown from the crowd in separate incidents.
Edwards commented on the assistant referee, “As it occurred on my side, I was well aware of the incident. I haven’t seen anything back and haven’t been given any details, so I can’t comment too much. But obviously, if an official has been struck by something from the crowd, that’s something we absolutely don’t condone, and we don’t want to see that.
“There was maybe an incident with Matty as well, where Matty had something thrown at him in the game. So these are issues that the club will need to look into. Without me seeing it or knowing the facts, I’m not going to comment too much, but these are things that can’t happen, and we don’t condone.”
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